Timebound
by Hollowfied
Summary: As the ninja world is about to be thrown in a state of upheaval due to the Fourth Great Ninja War, Hatake Kakashi is confronted with a difficult choice to make. Will things turn out for the better or for the worse? Only time will tell.
1. Chapter 1: A New World

_A/N:_ Yo guys, Hollowfied here bringing you my first attempt at a fanfiction. Thoughts just bounced around my head one day and I just had to get it down on paper (err… metaphorical paper). Hope you guys enjoy! Reviews would be cool, I'd like to know how I'm doing.

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters._

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><p><strong>Chapter 1: A New World<strong>

The night was eerily silent in the village of Konoha. Peace and quiet were beginning to return to the wary inhabitants and ninjas after the shock of Pain's relentless attack on the village. They were told shortly after of the brilliance and bravery of the Jinchuuriki kid, Naruto, and how he compelled the alleged leader of Akatsuki to revive their dead companions. Pain was no longer a problem, but fear would always have a backseat in the minds of those presiding in ninja villages – that was just the way it was. And now a new threat arose – a Fourth Great Ninja War.

Amidst the calm of the newly renovated village, two figures emerged. The first, black hair streaming in long locks behind him, flew over the gates in a gigantic leap. His chaser, silver hair gleaming in the moonlight, quickly followed in his footsteps.

The two ninjas took to the trees, silently dashing from branch to branch. The leading ninja didn't seem to be in a hurry; it was almost as if he was taunting his chaser to catch him. His chaser grunted, unamused.

_I don't have time for this crap_, he thought to himself. Normally a calm and collected man, Hatake Kakashi of the Hidden Leaf wasted no time in attempting to subdue the renegade ninja: he had something of great value to him. With a quick motion of his hand, Kakashi jerked his headband off of his left eye – his Sharingan.

The renegade ninja chuckled.

"Show me what you have, Copy Ninja!" he taunted behind him.

Kakashi obliged, forming quick and solid seals with his hands. _Snake,_ _Ram_,_ Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger_.

"_Katon: Goukakyuu No Jutsu_!" he yelled.

Kakashi removed his facemask to emit a large ball of flames. The renegade ninja responded by quickly flitting to the ground, avoiding the inferno with a fluid motion. Kakashi followed suit, adjusting his mask back over his face. Both shinobi drew out hidden kunais and clashed violently on the forest ground.

The Konoha shinobi kept his Sharingan eye sharp, watching his enemy's motions carefully. With his enhanced vision he easily sidestepped, parried, and blocked each strike while countering with his own kicks and stabs. The intruder merely laughed in glee at the fight unfolding before him.

"Enough!" Kakashi finally uttered, anger flowing into him at his enemy's perception of the fight, "the time for games is over- it's time for some answers!"

The Leaf ninja disengaged, delivering a strong kick to his opponent's chest while doing so. The renegade ninja stumbled backwards, indifferent towards the blow he just received. With a puff of smoke, four silver-haired, Sharingan-wielders ran at him where one once stood.

"Kage-Bunshin, eh? You'll have to try harder than that, Copy Ninja," he chided, engaging the Kakashi clones. He made quick work of two, kicking one in the face and slicing through the other with his kunai. Before he could attack the others, a hand shot out of the ground, rooting his foot in place.

The renegade shinobi stumbled, caught off guard by the underground assault. The two other Kakashi clones quickly grabbed his arms, forcing him to the ground. The renegade ninja struggled and screamed, desperately attempting to break loose. His screams were cut short as a noise began to erupt from the trees above him; normally one that wouldn't make him quake in his boots, but, in the case of his opponent, was one to truly be fearful of: the chittering of birds.

"_Raikiri_!"

Kakashi appeared from the trees above, swiftly jumping down towards his foe. Lightning pulsed in a blue, chakra-concentrated orb in his hand. With a quick thrust of his wrist, he cut through the enemy's chest in a flash. A bloody, lightning-encompassed arm protruded through the renegade ninja's back.

"I pierced my Raikiri a few centimeters away from your heart on purpose," Kakashi commented, "you have but a few moments to live. Now talk."

A bloodcurdling laugh erupted from his enemy, followed by a series of coughs.

"I applaud you, Hatake Kakashi," he spat, "you live up to your name and your reputation."

"Talk," Kakashi repeated, surging more chakra into his enemy's body.

The enemy shinobi flashed a bloody grin. "Everything I have told you is true," he coughed.

"Show me," Kakashi demanded, covering his Sharingan with his headband once more.

With a shaking hand, the renegade ninja pulled out a glittering stone from under his garments. The stone flashed a thousand brilliant colors and hues, bathing the forest in what seemed like daylight for a moment. In seconds the light receded back into the stone, which now looked like any ordinary diamond.

"And does it really..."

"Time travel?" the wielder of the stone interrupted, "why would I lie to you, in the face of death?"

After contemplating his choices, Kakashi withdrew his arm from the renegade ninja's body. Fresh blood spilled, and the now lifeless body slumped to the ground. It wouldn't matter in a few seconds. Everything would change.

Kakashi felt the weight of the stone in his hand. Something so light with such phenomenal power. He gripped it firmly, holding it up to his forehead and closing his eyes.

_You'll cease to exist,_ the renegade ninja had said, _everyone you know will cease to exist. Thrown away like garbage. Is it worth it?_

"Yes," Kakashi told himself. With confidence, he performed the hand seals the mysterious shinobi had shown him. The stone began to glow an intensely bright glow and, in an instant, the Leaf shinobi Kakashi, along with the stone, disappeared. Mere seconds later, the shinobi world disappeared with him.

And a new one was born.

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><p>"Naruto!" a voice called from afar, "get up!"<p>

"One more minute," a sleepy Naruto responded, turning over in his bed.

"Naruto!" The door flew open and a female figure with flowing, blue hair ran into the room.

"Ow!" Naruto shouted as a swift kick was thrown to his side, "Hinata, what the hell?"

"Sorry, but get up!" she responded impatiently.

"You could be gentler," he grumbled, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Sorry," Hyuuga Hinata emphasized again sarcastically, kissing him on the cheek, "how's that?"

"Better," he smiled back.

He wasn't used to it yet, but Naruto was definitely glad that Hinata was around. He had only recently noticed the shy, timid girl watching him as he trained, supporting him, even if most of the time it had been from afar.

"Get up," Hinata repeated, more sternly this time.

"Ok, ok, I'm up," Naruto sighed in response, "what's the rush?"

"Hokage-sama wants to speak to us," she responded nonchalantly.

Naruto gulped. "Us?"

"No, not _us _us," Hinata laughed, "Us as in a mission _us_,"

"Oh," Naruto sighed in relief, "sounds good."

Hinata left as Naruto got around to preparing himself. He showered and brushed his teeth while haphazardly putting his blue jumpsuit on. He yawned loudly as he put on his flak jacket and Konoha headband.

"Spiffy," Hinata jokingly commented from the doorway.

"Shut up," Naruto replied, unable to hide a grin.

Naruto couldn't help noticing how much she'd grown as a person as she didn't hesitate to hold his hand as they walked through the village. Mere days ago she would have fainted just by being two feet away from him. _I can be braver,_ she had told him, _I can be more like you._ He had responded that she was perfect as is, but Hinata was determined to be less shy and more proud of herself and those around her.

"What's that look for?" Hinata asked.

"Nothing," Naruto looked away, whistling.

The village was in pristine condition – it seemed to glow in the sunlight. Naruto and Hinata waved to the townsfolk as they shouted their Good-mornings and How-are-yous to them. Their peers always seemed to joke that they were the village's favorite couple, which they just laughed off.

"Hey guys," Ino called from within the flower shop, "flowers for the happy couple?"

Naruto responded with a retort of his own as Hinata blushed bright red. They continued to walk after a few exchanges of friendly banter.

"Haven't fainted yet? I'm impressed," Naruto mockingly whispered.

"I'm not going to faint," Hinata responded, punching him lightly on the shoulder, "I've changed. Really."

The couple continued to talk and laugh as they made their way towards the Hokage's headquarters. Hinata hadn't said it out loud thus far, but she was happier than she'd ever been.

"Oh shit, we're going to be late," Naruto finally said, "we better hurry."

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><p>"Nice to see you've finally made it," Shikamaru called from the entrance to the Hokage's chambers.<p>

"Of course _you _made it on time," Naruto shot back.

"Actually, I was late," Shikamaru sighed, "too troublesome. You guys, on the other hand, are _very _late,"

They entered the Hokage's chambers to find the rest of their apparent team for the mission already there: Kiba was feeding giant biscuits to a constantly growing Akamaru, Shino sat in the corner mysteriously as he always did, Chouji sat on a beanbag munching on snacks, and a ninja behind an ANBU mask Naruto wasn't acquainted with stood idly in a corner.

"About time you showed up," Kiba called, petting Akamaru on the head.

"Who's he?" Naruto yawned, sticking a finger at the unknown ninja.

"Beats me," Kiba responded, "he's supposed to lead us apparently."

"Where's Hokage-sama?" Hinata asked as she took a glance around the room.

"Not here yet," the ANBU member sighed, apparently bored, "he said he'd be here eventually. While he's away, he's told me to fill you in with the details."

All heads turned to the shinobi as he cleared his throat.

"There's some suspicious activity in Amegakure," the ninja stated, "we suspect that some other villages are preparing for some clash there. We're going purely for a scouting mission. Wars have happened there before, wars will happen there again. Our job is to make sure that if a war _is _going to happen, it _won't _involve us."

"Boring!" Naruto interrupted.

"Naruto, show some respect," Hinata scolded.

"Well, it is!" Naruto retorted, "a scouting mission? Come on!"

"As much as I detest Naruto's method of going about it," Shikamaru interjected, "I'd have to agree. Do we need this many ninjas merely to scout about Amegakure?"

"Purely for safety, I'm afraid," the ninja sighed in response, "Pain hasn't been flushed out yet. He remains a threat to safety for even mere scouts."

"But we're grown chuunin, we can do it ourselves," Naruto responded, "Why do we need ya?"

"Naruto," Hinata scolded again, "respect!"

"Respect what? He didn't even tell us his name yet, why don't you scold him?" Naruto pouted.

The unknown ninja scratched the back of his head.

"My apologies," he sighed, removing his ANBU mask.

"My name is Hatake Kakashi."

In turn, Kiba, Shikamaru, Chouji, Shino, and Hinata introduced themselves. Naruto remained silent.

"Naruto," Hinata urged.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, respect, respect," Naruto waved her away.

"Namikaze Naruto. Don't wear it out."

Kakashi raised his eyebrow as the door banged open. A flushed assistant ran into the room.

"Esteemed Hokage apologizes for being late. He-,"

"I told you, no need for formalities, Yuzu," the Hokage called from behind the flushed assistant, "we're all friends here, aren't we?"

Besides Naruto and Kakashi, the ninja around the room bowed as the young, blonde haired Hokage walked into the room.

"Dad," Naruto acknowledged, as Yondaime Hokage strode the room.

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><p><em>AN: _Ooh, you liked that ending, didn't you? I combined my original first and second chapter due to them being too short, so this is my new Chapter 1. If it leaves some people confused, I hope it's established that with Kakashi time travelling to the past, he changed the future, so the Naruto (person and series) we know and love never came into existence – this is kind of my alternate storyline. Any questions, feel free to ask! Reviews make me feel like I'm not worthless! (just kidding, but yes they would be nice :P)


	2. Chapter 2: A New Team 7

_A/N:_ Hey people of the Internet, so glad you could take time off your schedule crammed with internet memes and school projects to stop by. Here's the second chapter, it's a bit shorter, but I felt like it was a proper place to stop. Hope you guys enjoy! -Hollowfied

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters._

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><p><strong>Chapter 2: A New Team 7<strong>

"This is your kid?" Kakashi asked, sticking a thumb at Naruto.

"Yeah, astounding similarities, huh Kakashi?" Minato joked as he ruffled his son's hair, "Hinata, how are you?"

"F-f-fine," Hinata responded, blushing.

"How do you know him?" Naruto asked, pointing at Kakashi.

"He was my student, Naruto," Minato responded, "Show some respect."

Naruto mockingly mouthed _Respect, _while his father turned away and took his seat at the Hokage's table.

"I'm sure Kakashi filled you in on the details?"

Naruto and the others nodded in response.

"Don't take this lightly," Yondaime warned, "especially _you_ Naruto,"

Naruto scoffed in response.

"Swiftly in and out. Don't engage if you don't have to. I'll expect a full report when you get back, Kakashi," he continued.

"Of course," Kakashi responded sternly.

"Oh and Naruto," Minato interrupted as the shinobi began to exit the room, "Jiraiya-sensei told me you missed your last lesson,"

Naruto sheepishly smiled at his father. "He's an old pervert, dad."

"Nonetheless, don't let it happen again," the Hokage lectured.

"Yes, dad," Naruto groaned, whispering under his breath, "_wait till I'm Hokage…_"

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><p>"He still sort of scares me," Hinata commented softly to Naruto as the platoon made their way into the sunlight.<p>

"Dad's not too bad," Naruto replied, "your dad is _way _scarier."

Hinata laughed in response.

"Enough bickering," Kakashi commented, refitting his ANBU mask on his face, "prepare yourselves. I expect you all to be ready to leave by twilight."

"Chill out a bit, will ya?" Naruto responded nonchalantly, "we have plenty of time."

"Twilight," the ANBU ninja repeated, "not one minute later."

Naruto stuck out his tongue as Kakashi disappeared in a flash.

Shikamaru sighed. "Troublesome. Well, ramen anyone?"

He was met with consent from all but Naruto, who had an appointment with his old team.

"Alright," Shikamaru sighed, fist-pounding Naruto, "we'll see you at twilight." Naruto responded with a nod and his trademark "Dattebayo!"

"See you later, Hinata," he added, moving in for a kiss. Sensing her blush profusely, he settled for a peck on the cheek. She responded with a long hug.

"You're getting better at this not-fainting thing," he teased. She scowled playfully as they said their goodbyes, and then proceeded to catch up to Kiba, Shikamaru, Shino, and Chouji.

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><p>Namikaze Naruto sat at the meeting place decided upon by his previous team under an old oak tree. Ever since he passed the chuunin exam, he saw less and less of them, but, inheriting a strong respect for friendship and importance of teamwork from his sensei and father, he was actually glad to meet his old friends.<p>

"Hey, idiot," a familiar voice called, "you're early."

Naruto turned to look into the face of his oldest friend and rival, Uchiha Sasuke. A grin took over his face.

"Sasuke," he greeted, "second place again, huh?"

"I beg to differ," Sasuke chuckled in response, "you're usually second place."

Memories swam in Naruto's head as he and his best friend caught up: play-dates as kids, Konoha Academy and how he and Sasuke fought viciously for top of the class, the multiple training sessions they shared to bolster each others' skills. No matter how intense the competition, Naruto had to admit that they always brought out the best of each other.

"How's the Uchiha Police Force?" he asked as the two waited for the rest of their team.

"Same old, same old," he sighed, "I'm improving for sure, but Dad always seems to think I'm not like Itachi."

"Well, he's pretty hard to live up to," Naruto commented.

"No kidding," Sasuke replied.

Uchiha Itachi. Sasuke's brother. As an only child and constant playmate of Sasuke's as a kid, he was something of a big brother to Naruto as well. He remembered him always showing the two of them new kunai tricks and jutsus and the awe he and Sasuke had for him. To this day he was still hailed as a genius among geniuses by his clan.

Not wanting to bring up another touchy subject, Naruto sat in silence as he waited for the rest of his team. It wasn't long before they showed up.

"Sasuke, how'd you beat me here? I was two steps behind you…"

"Obito-sensei, that was nowhere near two steps…" Sasuke replied.

Uchiha Obito laughed in response, adjusting the large goggles he wore. The leader of the original Team 7 was a tall man with sparkling eyes that reflected his determination. He had a short haircut and the normal attire for a jounin of Konoha.

Naruto suddenly remembered his father mentioning that Obito was a past student of his. Did that make the cold man he had recently met his warm-hearted sensei's teammate?

Before he could ask, the final member of their team, Sakura, arrived, carrying some medical supplies. "Sorry I'm late," she panted, "I had to make some last minute buys."

"That's not a problem, Sakura," Obito chuckled, "I just got here myself."

"While Naruto and I have been waiting for ages," Sasuke commented.

"Yes, yes, and we're all very sorry," Obito replied sarcastically, "what matters is we're here. So, how is everybody?"

The team spent a good hour chatting, joking, laughing, and generally catching up. Sakura talked about her recent training with the legendary sannin Tsunade, who recently moved into the village for unknown reasons. Sasuke talked about his training in the Uchiha Police force and ANBU. Naruto talked about his training with Jiraiya (or the ones he attended anyway…) and the mission he received just that morning, filling an unspoken dread of the mysterious Pain in his allies.

Naturally, Sasuke being the annoying best friend prodded Naruto about his love life. Naruto readily shot back a retort about Sakura and his developing relationship, which they both denied vehemently. They laughed, enjoying whatever time they had left before they had to go their separate ways once more.

"Well, team," Obito finally sighed, "I'm definitely glad to hear of your exploits. Always know I'm proud of you guys, and proud to be your sensei,"

Naruto and Sasuke nodded respectfully, proud smiles on their faces, as Sakura shed a tear. "Take care, Obito-sensei," they rang out in unison.

"Until next time, take care," Obito replied, "and always remember the bond we share. As teammates and as friends."

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><p><em>AN: _God what a cheesy ending. I'm so sorry you guys had to endure that. Anyways, I hope things cleared up a bit (why Naruto didn't know Kakashi and such). Any questions, again feel free to ask! **Reviews are my meat! Do itttt!**


	3. Chapter 3: Mission, Start! To Amegakure!

_A/N:_ Third installment. Not much action going on yet, but I promise the next will be when it starts. A bit of NaruHina, so deal with it. It's for a reason. Cool stuff will be heading this way, stay tuned! -Hollowfied

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters._

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><p><strong>Chapter 3: Mission, Start! To Amegakure!<strong>

Shikamaru stood up to his name as one of the smartest ninja of his generation.

Through use of drawn-out plans and shogi pieces, he developed quick and concise strategies in and out of Amegakure, including different formations and counterattacks in case of ambushes. Met with enthusiastic compliments, he merely shrugged.

They grudgingly set out at twilight through the insistence on punctuality from Kakashi. Naruto never met such an uptight man in his life; it was all about deadlines and duty with the mysterious ANBU ninja. As night quickly approached, the soft, orange beams of sunlight that bathed the platoon of ninja gradually disappeared altogether. Without complaint, the platoon took to the trees and hastily made their way towards their target in pitch darkness.

The shinobi moved hastily but carefully, using Kiba and Akamaru's acute senses and Hinata's Byakugan to guide their way. Through increased vision along with hearing and smell combined, the group was able to avoid enemy ninjas waiting in ambush and, more importantly, crashing into trees.

Eventually, at the peak of midnight, the group of seven ninja slowed to a halt on Kakashi's command.

"We'll set up camp here," he stated, acknowledging the pants coming from behind him, "We've been travelling most of the night and made good time; we should reach Amegakure by daybreak. Hinata, you'll take first shift of guard duty with your Byakugan-,"

"Kakashi-san," Naruto interrupted, "Hinata's been using her Byakugan all night. She must be tired. I volunteer myself to take first shift,"

Kakashi turned to face Naruto, who was sure a cold glare was being thrown at him from under the ANBU mask.

"I will _not _expend the safety of this group because you feel sorry for your girlfriend, Namikaze-kun," Kakashi retorted, "and I don't remember putting the subject up for discussion."

Naruto balled his fist, preparing to bite back with a retort of his own. Before he could snap, he felt a soft hand holding him back.

"It's ok, Naruto-kun," Hinata whispered from behind him, "I'm alright, really."

"No, it's not ok," he called back, "you've done enough for us already."

He turned to converse with Kakashi once more, when Kiba stepped in front of him.

"Kakashi-sama," Kiba attempted to reason, "your concern for our safety is much appreciated. Might I offer my own aid in guard duty? I'm sure you'll soon come to realize that Akamaru and my senses are more than enough to sense even the smallest movement in the forest."

Silence followed as Kakashi contemplated Kiba's reasoning, and before long he responded with a curt nod.

"Just this once, I override my order," Kakashi said, "from now on, defy them and there will be consequences."

Naruto struggled to hold himself back, but forced his balled fist to uncurl. _He's not your enemy, Naruto_, he told himself, sighing. He whispered his thanks to Kiba, who responded with a nod and a thumbs-up, and retired himself to aiding the others in setting up tent.

In about half an hour's time, the ninja team managed to set up three individual tents: the smallest was taken by Kakashi, who insisted on it, claiming he would be sitting up and reading the entire night anyways; one of almost equal size but slightly larger was taken by Hinata, the only girl in the mission; the last, a considerably larger one, was taken by the rest of the platoon.

The guys in the mission filled their tent with yawns of weariness while, at the same time, bubbling with excitement. Shino silently crawled into a corner while Kiba haphazardly threw his sleeping bag on the ground and dived into it, resting his head in the palms of his hands. Chouji sat in the middle of the tent, munching on more snacks, while Naruto and Shikamaru organized their sleeping bags and various items. Akamaru barked as he stood guard.

"I'm not liking this Kakashi guy," Naruto mumbled as he removed his flak jacket.

"Easy, Naruto," Shikamaru responded, "it would be too troublesome to start a fight with a team member now, much less our team captain,"

"I know, I know, I'm just wondering why dad chose _him _of all people to lead us!" Naruto spat.

"Obviously he trusts him, being an ex-student and all," Kiba yawned.

Naruto sighed, laying on his sleeping bag. Shikamaru sat cross-legged on his sleeping bag and pulled a shogi set out of his bag, proceeding to play against himself. Silence ensued for awhile, only occasionally broken by the crunching of potato chips. As sleep refused to fall on the weary ninjas, they continued to converse. Shino promptly stayed out of the conversation, preferring the solitude of his corner, while Chouji's mouth was often too full to chat anyways.

"You're missing out, you know," Kiba commented slyly after awhile.

"What are you talking about?" Naruto asked, confused.

"Hinata… all alone in her tent… who knows what you could do without any of us finding out…"

"S-s-shut up!" Naruto stuttered, taken off-guard.

"Relax, hothead," Kiba laughed, "it was just a joke. Honestly, though, wouldn't you prefer spending time with her then us idiots?"

"Leave me out of 'us idiots', thanks," Shikamaru murmured as he continued to ponder over his shogi openings.

Naruto remained silent, embarrassed, but realizing Kiba had a point. But, knowing they would make jokes about him once he left, decided resolutely to stay.

"Get out," Kiba finally commanded. Upon Naruto's refusal, Kiba whistled, which prompted Akamaru to tackle Naruto, who had no choice but to exit the tent as the giant ball of fur shoved him and playfully bit at his ankles until he left.

"Baka," Shikamaru commented as he interlaced his fingers, staring blankly at his shogi pieces. Kiba laughed.

* * *

><p>Naruto cursed under his breath as every attempt he made to reenter the tent was met with a loud bark. That wouldn't be an option, and the young shinobi was too tired to keep up the fight anyways.<p>

With a sigh of defeat, he made his way to the petite tent where Hinata temporarily resided. His heart began to pound faster the closer he got to the tent. _What am I nervous about?_ Naruto scolded himself, _I've seen Hinata thousands of times…_

He stood in front of the tent for a whole minute, seemingly unable to take another step. It was as if a barrier protruded from the tiny tent, keeping him from stepping any closer. Before long, a loud whistle erupted from behind him. Naruto turned to see Kiba exiting their tent. _He must be going on guard duty… _Naruto thought. Kiba pointed at his wrist, where a watch would be, and mouthed, _You haven't got all day_.

Naruto sighed, knowing full well that the shell of a man Kakashi would undoubtedly call Hinata for the second guard shift. Taking a deep breath, he entered the tent.

"Hinata, are you awake?" Naruto whispered into the darkness.

"With all the noise you boys make, how can anyone sleep?" was her response.

He chuckled softly, muttering an apology and asking for permission to enter, which she obviously gave. He fumbled his way to a mat laid out in a corner of the room as Hinata lit a candle. As fragments of light bathed the tent, Naruto couldn't help but gasp as he laid eyes on Hinata's face once more.

"What's wrong?" she asked, concerned.

"Nothing… you're just beautiful," he commented, laughing it off.

"You're sweet," she rolled her eyes, passing off his comment as a joke.

The pair sat and chatted until track of time was lost. At one point Hinata made tea, which Naruto drained in his efforts to stay awake. Before long, the candlestick burned to less than a quarter of its original size, its flames nothing more than a whimper. Hinata uttered a loud yawn.

"You must be tired," Naruto commented, "I shouldn't be keeping you up anyways… you should go to sleep,"

"I'm fine," Hinata replied with a smile. Naruto insisted, and eventually the couple reached a compromise of her resting on his shoulder. With another yawn, Hinata crawled over to where Naruto sat, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her weary eyes as he pulled her closer, breathing in her scent. Naruto twirled his fingers in Hinata's long, blue hair as he retired himself to listening to her soft breathing.

Without warning, as Naruto closed his eyes, he was struck by a feeling of fear. They were making their way towards dangerous enemy territory, home of Pain, one of the strongest shinobi of the criminal organization Akatsuki. In retrospect, Naruto realized he knew absolutely nothing about the mysterious Akatsuki member, which heightened his fear evermore. Danger just meant the possibility of losing one more person he cared about. Chouji, Shino, Kiba, and Shikamaru. His childhood friends and teammates. And, the one he was most fearful for, the one in his arms, whom he instinctively drew into a closer embrace: Hinata.

"Hinata…" he couldn't help but whisper as his thoughts continued to plague his mind.

"Hm?"

He wanted to pour out his feelings to her, how much he cared, how scared he was, how completely _useless _he felt. Deep inside, though, Naruto knew he shouldn't drag Hinata down with him. She wasn't scared of the things he was scared of, or at least not yet. Ignorance was bliss. Trying to summarize everything he felt into a few words that wouldn't send shivers down her spine, he blurted out, "I love you."

Silence ensued as Naruto racked his brains for why he would possibly think that that was an accurate summation of what he was thinking. He cursed himself for stating such a statement out of the blue, and felt eternal torture as he waited for an inevitable response.

"I love you too," Hinata finally responded quietly, kissing him on the cheek.

Before she could retreat, Naruto instinctively cupped her face in his hand, bringing her lips up to his own, kissing her softly in the solitude of darkness. Upon feeling her lips respond and kiss him back, he drew her into his embrace tighter still. Every time Naruto thought of withdrawing, the thought of it possibly being their last kiss urged him to continued, locking their lips together even more. It felt to him like days had passed when Hinata finally released their hold, panting into his chest. He kissed her on the head, hugging her tightly. His resolve hardened. Nothing would tear her or the rest of his teammates away from him, lest they feel the wrath of Namikaze Naruto.

The impending silence was broken as Kiba's head poked through the tent, grinning sheepishly at the embrace he witnessed.

"Sorry to break up whatever you got going there," he whispered, "but I've taken up at least half of your shift, Hinata. Didn't want to disturb you but I need my rest too."

Hinata stammered her apologies as she got up to relieve Kiba of his duties. As she proceeded to exit the tent, she turned to give Naruto what looked like a look of longing and gratitude, as if he had released a huge burden she was carrying. He responded with a reassuring smile, one he hoped would tell her, _Everything's gonna be alright._

Soon after she left, he followed suit, pushing away the tent flap to come face to face with Kiba. Naruto could see the initial mischievousness painted over his friend's face quickly being replaced by a serious look as he stared into Naruto's eyes.

"Something's up," Kiba stated, recognizing a flame burning inside Naruto that wouldn't be satiated, "what is it?"

"Our enemies won't know what hit them," Naruto declared confidently, "I'll crush them all flat.

"To Amegakure."

* * *

><p><em>AN: _If you're an action-y sort of guy, it'll start getting interesting past this point (I promise) – I just wanted to emphasize the new close bonds Naruto now has with his teammates as an indirect result to the changes old Kakashi has made to the past. Past this point, you'll begin to see new pretty cool stuff that changed as well! **Review if you like it so far!**


	4. Chapter 4: First Clash!

_A/N:_ Some long awaited action is about to unfold. We'll see some of the differences that have popped up indirectly due to the change in the space time continuum, especially here. Hope you like the fourth installment of _Timebound_! - Hollowfied

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters._

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><p><strong>Chapter 4: First Clash – A Display of Prowess!<strong>

"Naruto, it's urgent, get up!" Kiba called, forcing Naruto out of the comforts of his makeshift bed.

The blonde ninja's eyes snapped open.

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Naruto donned his flak jacket over the blue jumpsuit he slept in. Slipping on his weapon pouches and tying on his Konoha headband, he quickly nodded to Kiba, proceeding to exit the tent with him.

The two shinobi walked briskly towards a stump where Kakashi and Shikamaru sat, drawing up apparent battle plans. They slowed to a halt within a ring created by the other members of the platoon.

"… from here, we can engage and actually ambush the ambush," Naruto heard Shikamaru claim as he walked into hearing distance.

"Nice of you gentlemen to arrive," Kakashi said nonchalantly.

"What's going on?" Naruto yawned.

"A few minutes ago Hinata spotted enemy shinobi approaching this way," Kiba said, tensing for the battle to come, "at this moment they're setting up and ambush, that is, unless we get them first."

"Which is what I was explaining," Shikamaru added, "I've divided our platoon up into groups to intercept the ninja headed our way. We're engaging in a five-pronged attack: striking successively and leaving no room for retaliation. I haven't actually accounted for you yet Naruto…"

"No problem," Naruto stated, "I'll take out the hidden ninja not in the frontal assault."

"Can you do that?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow at the young ninja's bold statement.

"Easily," he claimed in response, "I'll just need Hinata."

"That can be done," Shikamaru nodded, "This could work. Here's what we're going to do…"

The group of ninjas sat as they revised over Shikamaru's plan. For clarity, they repeated their positioning and different responses to different situations several times until the plan was practically ingrained in their minds. On the insistence of Naruto, Shikamaru focused primarily on the frontal assault, leaving Naruto to his own devices on how to handle the other shinobi.

With Hinata checking every once in awhile to make sure that the ambush wouldn't strike when they least expected, the platoon ate their breakfast warily. Even Chouji, who could devour multiple breakfasts in one sitting, seemed to be on edge as he ate less than his fill.

"They're on the move," Hinata warned as the group finished eating.

"We'll clean up later," Kakashi called, fitting his ANBU mask over his face, "show me your competence as Konoha ninja, team. Disperse!"

With the command, the team split up into their fractions.

* * *

><p>Naruto lay in wait amongst shrubbery with Hinata at his side. Tension filled the air as the team lay in wait to ambush the ambush. His teammates had hidden well – Naruto couldn't spot a square inch of any of them amongst the trees and greenery.<p>

"Be careful out there," Naruto whispered, squeezing Hinata's hand.

"I will," she responded quietly, "you too."

They released their grip as the sounds of twigs snapping and leaves rustling filled the silence. _They're coming_, Naruto thought.

Suddenly, a group of shinobi burst forth from the foliage. More than ten strong, they paused at the signal of the ninja in front. His face was hidden behind a mask, as was most of the shinobi in his band. The lead ninja seemed to sniff at the air. Naruto could feel chakra pouring out of the man.

_It's a sensory ninja,_ he thought to himself, _take him out quickly!_

Naruto was beginning to doubt the senses of his teammates when the leaves in the tree above him rustled violently and a figure burst forth. Before the sensory ninja could react, a piercing scream rang through the air: "_Gatsuuga!_"

The whirling mass of fangs and claws of Kiba cleaved through the band of enemy ninja. Naruto watched as the sensory ninja was quickly struck down, blood flying in multiple directions. The other surprised shinobi quickly dove out of the way of the deadly whirlwind.

Turning around to engage it, their backs were laid bare to another identical slashing whirlwind of death. _Akamaru!_ Naruto thought to himself as the fangs and claws of the usually friendly dog met flesh. Screams pierced the air as the remaining ninja retreated to the ground to assess their situation. In no time at all, reinforcements burst from the trees to join their stricken comrades.

Looking around above them for signs of the two deadly whirlwinds, the ninja were caught off guard once again as, rolling straight towards them, was what appeared to be a _giant porcupine_.

Chouji's Meat Tank struck the enemy shinobi hard, bowling them over like bowling pins. The pins from his hair that enveloped his body drew wails as they pierced through flesh. The enemy ninjas recuperated faster this time, determined to subdue one of their attackers. With haste, one erected a stone wall to stop the rolling Chouji with a _doton_ jutsu. They proceeded to climb on Chouji when, to their surprise, he threw them all off, growing to well over twice his size.

As the enemies fell like flies onto the ground below, Naruto watched in awe as the shadows around them shifted. Before the enemies could respond, the darkness came alive, weaving to and fro between them. At Shikamaru's command, his Shadow Sewing technique skewered through the enemy shinobi and filling the air with screams of pain. Rooted in place, they could do nothing but watch as a swarm of insects descended on them, finishing the job.

Before long, the team rendezvoused where Naruto had been hiding. Beads of sweat ran down their faces as drawbacks to the chakra they had exerted. Even so, each ninja had a wide grin on their faces.

"Did you see that? I shredded through those losers! Akamaru! Come here! Good boy!" Kiba rambled continuously.

"Shut up, Kiba," Shikamaru whispered, "it'll be troublesome if they figure out our position,"

"Shikamaru's right," Hinata responded, activating her Byakugan, "they're surrounding us as we speak…"

"Naruto," Shikamaru's gaze shifted over to the blonde ninja, "My plan ends here. I _could_ come up with another strategy to bypass the rest of the ambush-,"

"No," Naruto interrupted confidently, "I can handle this. Just sit back and relax. Hinata, are you ready?"

Hinata nodded nervously. Naruto could see traces of doubt lining his other teammates' faces as he prepared to take his leave. He was determined to erase them.

"Let's go," he announced. The pair had practiced their tag team battle abilities to the point where Naruto didn't have the slightest doubt that they would succeed.

Without hesitation, Hinata ran out into the open. She easily deflected a few shurikens thrown at her upon her revelation with her Gentle Fists. She followed up by drawing kunai of her own. Upon closer inspection, they were somehow _different_ than normal kunai…

With her Byakugan, Hinata quickly pinpointed the locations of each enemy hidden among the brush. Taking a deep breath, she promptly launched kunai after kunai, one towards each enemy. Anticipating them, the enemy shinobi were able to sidestep or block them with ease.

_Now's my queue_, Naruto thought, cracking his knuckles. The others let out short gasps as, before their very eyes, the blonde ninja disappeared.

Hinata stood quietly and patiently as she waited for the next part of their combination attack. She didn't have to wait long. Instantaneously, screams filled the air as final breaths were drawn. The number of screams increased as more and more ninja crumbled to the ground, never to rise again.

"Impossible," Kakashi muttered as the sounds of pains and death continued to fill the forest.

Casually, Hinata stuck one of her remaining kunai in the ground next to her. Gradually, the screams faded and in the blink of an eye, a figure materialized in front of her. She couldn't stifle her giggles as he playfully lifted her off the ground.

"Naruto, what even, I don't…" Kiba stammered.

"Shunshin no Jutsu," Kakashi answered, "the Fourth's technique…"

Naruto beamed proudly as his teammates applauded his performance.

"It was nothing really," he replied modestly to their compliments, "I'm nowhere as fast as dad…"

* * *

><p>The platoon left the bloodbath tired and dirty, but with feelings of accomplishment in their hearts. By Shikamaru's count, they were outnumbered at least 5 to 1. Even Kakashi, to some extent, softened his exterior enough to congratulate the team on their success and brilliance in execution of the plan.<p>

"I don't want to have this mission delayed any longer," Kakashi mused, "but you deserve a rest. We'll pick up the pace again come morning."

The young group of shinobi cheered at a chance to rest, taking full advantage of the ANBU ninja temporarily forgetting his resolve for promptness. Naruto, for one, was sure it wouldn't happen again.

Shino took watch for most of the night ("He sat in the corner all night anyways, why not put it to good use?" Kiba joked). Hinata, on the other hand, spent it in the boys' tent, scowling at the mess they made. Naruto draped his arm around her shoulder as he laughed at Kiba's jokes. _This is what life's about_, he mused to himself, looking around at his group of friends, _this is what's worth fighting for_.

* * *

><p><em>AN: _Hope you guys enjoyed I herofied Naruto a little bit, but I think he deserved it. For the record, if anyone is interested, Naruto doesn't know Shadow Clones in my little series. If we think back to pre-Shippuden in the first few episodes, he actually learned it due to Mizuki asking him to steal the forbidden scroll. Naruto only complies because he feels left out and wants to prove himself. With the Fourth Hokage as a father, who's going to feel left out? Thanks for reading! **Let me know what you think in a review!**


	5. Chapter 5: Journey to the Center of Pain

_A/N:_ God I'm glad I looked over this chapter before posting it, you wouldn't believe how many mistakes I found… anywho, lots of actions continue to unfold in this chapter as our blessed heroes enter Amegakure. Hope you enjoy! After this chapter I'll be taking a short break from posting every day (Christ…) because I have to take finals D: Til' then, catch ya later! - Hollowfied

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters._

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><p><strong>Chapter 5: Journey to the Center of Pain<strong>

"We're here," Kakashi commented as the group of shinobi cleared the trees, "be alert. Danger could be anywhere,"

Amegakure was a dainty village with towering mountains of iron that passed off as buildings. The large skyscrapers had numerous power lines connecting them to each other, making the village seem like a web of wires. A dreary rain cascaded down on the city as the group of ninja entered the Village Hidden in the Rain.

Before long, they made their way into a small tavern. Annoyed glances were tossed at Akamaru as he shook off the rain water, drenching everyone even more.

"Stay here," Kakashi commanded, "I'll gather some information. It'll be foolhardy to charge into enemy territory knowing nothing,"

With a nod, the ANBU ninja strode back into the downpour. The other members of the platoon sank back into chairs, sighing. Anxiety filled the room as they all knew, at any moment, they could be attacked. Nowhere was safe within the accursed village.

The innkeeper paid them no mind, most probably used to unfamiliar visitors. Not wanting to test their luck, the group chose not to question him, lest he kick them out or, even worse, turns them in. After serving them tidbits and tea, he retired to the backroom. Naruto attempted to break the tension hovering over his teammates with friendly chatter, which they appreciatively responded to.

The inn was remarkably empty for the duration of the ninjas' stay. After what seemed like a few hours, however, two figures ambled through the creaky, wooden doorway. Their strange garb was unseen before by the platoon of Konoha ninjas, but the swords draped over their backs and their headbands gave them away as shinobi.

"Careful," Shikamaru whispered, "they're from Kumogakure."

The Konoha shinobi nodded their understanding, warily but inconspicuously keeping an eye on them as they approached the front counter.

The innkeeper appeared again, as indifferent to the two new guests as he was to Naruto and his teammates. As the kunoichi of the pair conversed with the old man, the male shinobi's eyes stared holes into the Konoha platoon, who returned them with equal intensity.

Suddenly, Shikamaru instinctively flipped the table the platoon of Konoha ninja were gathered around. Just as he did, shuriken protruded out of the side facing the shinobi of Kumogakure. Kiba snarled as all hell broke loose.

The frightened innkeeper fled back to the backroom as the two groups clashed at the center of his inn. The two enemy shinobi jumped over the table, clashing their kunai against those drawn by Naruto and Shikamaru. Before they could fall back, the enormous Chouji barreled into them, crashing through the window.

The rest of the platoon quickly ran through the doors to find the three shinobi recovering from the initial collision. The enemy ninjas drew the long katanas strapped behind their backs as they prepared to engage again. Akamaru in turn transformed into a doppelganger of his owner.

The two beastlike shinobi clashed claws against swords as the fight continued. The other Konoha ninjas struggled to engage around the writhing bodies, wary of accidentally striking their allies in the fray. Before long, however, the impatient Naruto threw his kunai when certain that Kiba wasn't in its sights. The shinobi of Kumogakure easily dodged it. Looks of surprise crossed their face, however, when the full-fledged form of Naruto appeared behind them using his Body Flicker Technique. The male shinobi was unable to respond in time as Naruto delivered a swift kick to the face, sending him sprawling.

The enemy kunoichi's attempt at striking Naruto was cut short as a shadow danced its way across the street and latched to hers. She stood, frozen, as Shikamaru's Shadow Imitation Technique took effect.

"Nice one, Shikamaru!" Kiba yelled.

Before celebrations could continue, the male shinobi swiftly reengaged, snarling. With a wide sweep of his sword, he caught Kiba on the cheek and forced Shikamaru back. He further pushed at Shikamaru, attempting to break his concentration and his jutsu.

Forming a different seal and with an annoyed click of his tongue, Shikamaru uttered, "_Kage Nui no Jutsu_,"

The initial shadow linking him and the kunoichi together quickly split into multiple, wriggling smaller shadows. They lifted off the ground menacingly, attempting to impale the male shinobi. The surprised enemy weaved and dodged between the shadows, disengaging.

Naruto and Kiba rushed at the remaining enemy again, hoping to finish the fight. They underestimated his skill as he disarmed Naruto with a flick of his wrist. Striking Kiba with the hilt of his sword, he quickly maneuvered his way behind Naruto and brought his sword up to his throat.

"Naruto!" Hinata shrieked.

Shikamaru cursed under his breath as he dispelled his Shadow Sewing, focusing solely on rooting the kunoichi in place. Kiba quickly recovered from the blow, wiping a dribble of blood from his chin.

"What do you want from us?" Naruto snarled.

The cold steel inched closer to his throat as the Kumogakure shinobi stared menacingly at him.

"I want what you have taken from us," he muttered.

"We haven't-,"

"I WANT OUR MASTER BACK!" the shinobi screamed.

The Konoha ninja drew held breaths as the enemy threatened to decapitate Naruto. Before he had the chance, Naruto disappeared. He confusedly looked around, only to find Naruto leaning against a wall, the three-pronged kunai he threw earlier lodged into it.

"We haven't taken anything from you," he replied coolly, "I suggest you sheath your weapon."

The enemy looked as if he was about to protest, but refrained from doing so as Kiba brought his claws up to his teammate's throat. With a sigh of resignation, he sheathed his katana.

"Can we discuss the situation like grownups?" Shikamaru mocked.

The ninjas of Kumogakure sneered, but nodded. Shikamaru, seemingly content with that, dispelled his jutsu. The kunoichi tested her released muscles, cracking her neck to alleviate the stiffness.

"What seems to be the problem?" Shikamaru asked.

The two silently looked at each other, debating if they could trust the Konoha shinobi. Seeing as they didn't have much choice, the female of the two cleared her throat to speak.

"My name is Karui, and this is Omoi," she stated, jerking a finger at her teammate. The Konoha ninjas, in turn, introduced themselves.

"We arrived at Amegakure with instructions to scout out the territory. We were told that clashes might happen here soon, although we don't know why,"

"That's what we're here for," Shikamaru interrupted.

"We showed up in a platoon of three. For three days we stayed and gathered information. Just this morning, however, our master disappeared, and we couldn't find any trace of him. After some questioning around, we discovered that a platoon from a different village had just arrived. Connecting the dots, we arrived at your location and attacked," she concluded.

"Hold on," Shikamaru stated, raising an eyebrow, "who exactly is your master?"

The kunoichi blinked at him. "Killer B of Kumogakure. Why? Does it matter?"

A look of despair crossed Shikamaru's face. "I know who took him. It can only be-,"

Before he could finish his thought, a loud crash rang in the ninjas' ears. The group faltered back as a figure was thrown across the street, crashing into a shop. The shinobi of both villages stood stunned as the rain slowed to a stop.

They slowly turned their heads towards the direction where the figure had been thrown from. A large, snarling, three-headed dog stood in an alleyway, wings protruding from its broad back. Strange, ripple-like patterns interwove with the purple iris of the beast's eyes.

"What the hell is that?" Kiba cried.

The beast, not wasting any time, uttered a howl and charged at the group. Before the two groups of ninjas could react, the figure behind them moved to intercept, striking at the beast with a short katana.

"Kakashi-san!" Hinata called as she recognized the man. With astonishing skill, Kakashi danced around the beast's bites and claws, parrying its attacks with his blade. Kiba and Akamaru quickly moved to aid Kakashi in his endeavors.

"Killer B is the Jinchuuriki of Kumogakure," Shikamaru spoke quickly, knowing he could be interrupted at any moment, "common knowledge is that Pain and Akatsuki have been after the Jinchuuriki. Not only that, the Fourth sent us as a sizeable platoon solely because of the threat that Pain posed. With only a party of three-,"

"Pain abducted Killer B…" Naruto finished.

With snarls, Omoi and Karui engaged the demon dog as well.

"It's no use," a voice called from above, "he doesn't die."

With apprehension, the shinobi looked up towards the direction of the voice. They were met with the sight of a man with distinctively orange hair and multiple black-as-night rods sticking out of various parts of his body. Donning black robes covered in red clouds – the robes of Akatsuki – the man stared down at the ninjas with the same rippled eyes as his beast's.

"Pain," Naruto said, a shiver running down his spine.

* * *

><p><em>AN: _Intense, amirite? Yeah so again, I'll be taking a break, probably for the rest of the week. I actually have the next two chapters written out as well as the rest of the story pretty much in my head, so stay tuned, I'll be back!


	6. Chapter 6: The Beginning of the End

_A/N:_ Sup guys, I'm back. Oh tests, so much fun x.x. Anyway, I'm on winter break, so I might be writing faster or slower, depending a) on what plans I have and b) how easy this story is to write. If I get stuck I might just put out a different story or a one-shot, who knows? Anyway, enjoy this chapter! - Hollowfied

_Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of its characters._

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><p><strong>Chapter 6: The Beginning of the End<strong>

With a battle cry, Omoi recklessly charged at Pain. Under heavy protests from the other shinobi, he leaped from building to building until he came face to face with the Akatsuki member.

Before he could react, Omoi was sent crashing back to the ground with a nonchalant wave of Pain's hand. The others flinched at the relative ease of the attack.

"Where… is… my master…" Omoi panted, struggling to get up.

"That is the least of your worries at the moment," Pain stated matter-of-factly. With a snap of his fingers, five more figures appeared behind him.

"There are six Pains?" Kiba announced in shock.

"This isn't good," Kakashi mused, his injuries apparently taking a toll on him, "Every odd is stacked against us. Team, retreat!"

With that command, the Konoha force dashed towards the closest exit from Amegakure, Karui tailing after them with Omoi in tow. The ravaging, mutated beast behind them howled bloody murder, giving chase, followed by the six Pains. Before long, the beast's long strides easily caught him up to the fleeing shinobi. He struck out with vicious bites, attempting to nail one of the fleeing ninjas.

"Keep going! I'll distract him!" Kiba snarled, leaping onto Akamaru, "_Human Beast Combination Transformation: Double-Headed Wolf!_"

With a puff of smoke, the two entities joined into one. Where Kiba and his faithful companion once stood, a giant, two-headed white wolf emerged, snarling with ferocity equaling the mutant dog tailing the Konoha shinobi. Kiba and Akamaru swiftly turned around to engage the beast, and the two writhing masses of fur clashed violently in a battle of claws and fangs.

"Damn it!" Kakashi cursed, "we can't leave him behind!"

With the consent of the team, they skidded to stops, turning around to aid their companion. Karui and Omoi, feeling the need for revenge and answers, joined them.

The two groups of ninjas dashed to meet the six Pains in battle. With ferocity they engaged, clashing their kunais and swords against the chakra rods drawn from the Pains.

As Kiba and Akamaru wrestled with the mutant dog, the remaining shinobi split themselves up to battle the Pains. Kakashi charged relentlessly into battle against two Pains at once, the Human and Animal Paths. Showing immense prowess with his Chakra Sabre, he successfully kept the two at bay without retaining any injuries. The Asura Path was engaged upon by Omoi and Karui, whose joint attacks clashed against the numerous mechanized weaponry that it produced. The Naraka Path engaged against Shikamaru and Chouji, whose teamwork remained remarkably strong due to their many years on the same team, while Shino faced off against the Preta Path. Hinata and Naruto clashed against the final Pain: The Deva Path.

For mere moments, they seemed to hold back the Akatsuki menace. Before long though, they began to struggle. The Asura Path sprouted a few more hidden weapons, catching the Kumogakure shinobi off-guard. The King of Hell in turn forced Shikamaru and Chouji back, while Shino had to retreat as well once the Preta Path easily guarded against his bugs. Kakashi overcommitted with a slash of his father's tanto, allowing the Human Path to latch on to him. Feeling an immense tugging sensation, he withdrew with a kick before he could experience to full extent of Pains' powers.

The retreating ninjas, having the same thought without so much as an utterance, maneuvered around their opponents and charged at the Deva Path, aiming to distract him enough to grab their remaining members and flee. Before they could make it, the Rinnegan-user raised his arm, muttering two words.

"_Shinra Tensei_,"

With a scream, much to the dismay of her teammates, Hinata was launched an insurmountable distance into the air.

"HINATA!" Naruto screamed, praying for his father's skill if not for only a moment. Jamming one of his kunai into the ground, he aimed for mere seconds before flinging a second towards her.

As the kunai sailed past her, Hinata was suddenly clasped in firm, strong arms. She felt a sudden tugging sensation as, in the blink of an eye, she felt ground beneath her again.

"I've got you," Naruto whispered, still shaking with apprehension as Hinata continued to hyperventilate.

"Close one, boy," Pain smirked from a few feet away.

Naruto glared at the Akatsuki member as his teammates quickly gathered around him. Immense hatred welled up inside his body as he struggled to hold himself back from charging at the man without regard for his own safety. Feeling the breath of his teammates behind him, however, he knew it wouldn't solve anything.

"Get Kiba," he commanded, as he drew a scroll from his weapons pouch.

The giant, white wolf threw off its assaulter at the mention of its name, charging at the combined platoon of Kumogakure and Konohagakure nin. Pain's Deva Path raised his arm again; this time however, Kakashi moved quickly to distract him, striking his kunai against the hastily drawn chakra rod from Pain's sleeve.

"Everybody! To me!" Naruto declared, charging towards Kakashi. The giant, towering wolf disappeared in a puff of smoke as the smaller Kiba and Akamaru sprinted to join the platoon.

With a battle cry, Naruto leaped in between the clashing Akatsuki member and the leader of his platoon. With fervent speed, he unfurled the scroll he had pulled out. Pain raised his arm once more, beginning to use his jutsu once more, uttering, "_Shinra_-_!_"

Before he could finish, the seal revealed from within Naruto's scroll glowed a blinding, white light. In a flash, and much to Pain's annoyance, the group before him disappeared.

* * *

><p>The battered group of ninjas fell in a heap a few miles away from the battle that had just taken place. Shaken and fearful, they were unable to move for a moment. Akamaru whined pitifully and the injuries he had sustained while the rest of the group were inclined to do the same.<p>

"Naruto, what-," Shikamaru began to ask.

"A seal I share with my father," he responded tiredly, "it allows me to tap into his powers temporarily to perform a bigger Shunshin Jutsu. I'm not allowed more than a bit, so this is as far as I could bring us. Not to mention I'm all out of chakra…"

The ninjas began to slowly rise to sitting positions, the mere effort of that causing some of them to flinch. Tears welled in Hinata's eyes as she began to recover from her shock and realize how terrifying her predicament had been. Naruto instinctively pulled her into his embrace as she began to sob. Not knowing what to say, he just offered her comfort and silence.

After some time, Shikamaru and Kiba began to prepare camp as Kakashi tended to a wound he sustained in his final brawl with Pain. Hinata continued to cry into Naruto's shoulder, rendering him unable to help. Shino left momentarily, claiming he had to track down some of the bugs that were lost in the fight, as Chouji sat motionless on the forest floor. Omoi offered his help, which the two gratefully accepted.

Before long, Hinata had cried herself to sleep. Without a word, Naruto gently lifted her up and brought her into a hastily erected tent. He nodded his thanks to Kiba, who solemnly returned it, as he carefully laid her onto her sleeping bag, drawing the covers over her.

Naruto quietly joined the three other shinobi in preparing the rest of camp as night began to fall. Not a sound was made as the entire camp soon looked as it had when they set it up before they had arrived in Amegakure. The Konoha shinobi offered shelter to Omoi and Karui as well, who respectfully rejected.

"We have… news… for the Raikage," Karui murmured.

They all knew full well the "news" she was referring to, and didn't broach the subject any further.

"Sorry for attacking you, Naruto-kun," Omoi apologized, "I hope all is forgiven."

"Of course," Naruto replied mildly, the attack the least of his worries.

The shinobi of Kumogakure bade their goodbyes and took their leave as the Konoha ninjas slowly gave in to slumber.

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><p>The first thing the next morning, Naruto climbed a tall tree to pinpoint their location. Before long, he determined that he had underestimated his ability, and they were actually closer to Konoha than first surmised. Determining that they would arrive at the village at latest midday by foot, the platoon decided on just that.<p>

Hinata's eyes were puffy from the tears she shed the day before, and she refused to talk to anyone, Naruto could guess only from embarrassment. He grasped her hand firmly in his as they walked, affirming his presence and support and hoping that would be enough to ease her sorrow. She smiled sweetly at him in response, but remained silent.

Kakashi suffered from a profound limp. The team had learned later that night that, while he had been drawing Pain's attention from Naruto, he took a chakra rod to the leg. A carefully wrapped bandage wound its way around the injury; no medical ninjutsu by any standards, but it would have to do until they arrived at the village. Kiba and Chouji supported him – practically carried him – as they continued to make their way towards the village.

Suddenly, Naruto released Hinata's hand.

"What's wrong?" she asked, speaking for the first time that morning.

"Something," he said tentatively, "_something_'s wrong…"

Without so much as an explanation, he sprinted towards his village at breakneck speed.

The guards at the entrance could barely open the doors in time as Naruto sped up to them. He grabbed one by the arm, demanding, "What happened?"

The guards hesitated to answer, but seeing the determination in the Hokage's kid's eyes, they felt like they didn't have a choice. "Naruto, your mom's been taken."

* * *

><p><em>AN: _Nothing much to say. Tensions will heighten soon as the two groups clash, and new allegiances will be realized. Stay tuned! **Review my work!**


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